Morning traffic woes
need creative thinking
I t ’s M o n d a y
morning.
The
piercing
beeps of an alarm
clock eventually give
way to the equally annoying sound of
car horns. The seemingly endless ride
to school is underway. Traffic on the way
to school is dangerous and making the
time it takes to get to school longer than
necessary.
The intersection of the South Outer
Road and Hwy 94 creates most of the
traffic confusion. Students who come
from the outer road experience wave after
wave of cars and buses barreling down
Hwy 94.
In this case, dangerous is an
understatement. Merging right onto 94,
students experience the wrath of the sleep
deprived teenage driver always trying to
move a few spaces ahead. Few students
enjoy taking a chance with their life less
than an hour after they wake up.
This constant stream of vehicles
makes it hard for students coming from
the outer road to even make it to school

Staff
Editorial

on time. If a wrong move is made, the
chance of making it to school at 7:25 is
grim.
Students are reluctant to let a car
from the outer road onto 94, creating a
line on the outer road that sometimes
stretches beyond the commuter parking
lot. Students blame the way the roads
are structured, or even the timing of the
traffic light.
However, what students should
do instead of finding a scapegoat is to
make changes. Try carpooling to reduce
the number of cars on the road, which
will reduce gas usage and help the
environment.
Instead of leaving for school at 7:05
in the morning, leave a little earlier and
beat the rush.
Contact MODOT with complaints at
www.modot.com. Even putting just one
police officer at the intersection or just
timing the lights differently could solve
the traffic dilemma.
Traffic is a problem that can be simply
avoided with a little careful planning, and
that is something students can do.

Planning the rest of their lives provides
students with a little more stress than
expected.

Editorial Policy

•
•
•

Letters to the editor will be printed in the opinion section
Letters must be signed by the author and verified for publication by the editorial board.
Letters to the editor may be submitted to Mrs. Dunaway in room A115 or emailed to cogswell193@yahoo.com
Letters to the editor should not exceed 400 words, must be signed and must include the writer's address and phone
number for verification
All letters to the editor will be verified by a member of the editorial board to determine the authenticity of the writer
No material will be printed where content is obscene, invasive of others' privacy, encouraging physical disruption of
school activities and/or implies libel
The editorial board reserves the right to have letters edited for length, grammar, punctuation, clarity, etc.
If editing is required, the letter will be sent to the author for consent.
The school newspaper will only publish one letter per author per issue

•

All letters to the editor become the property of the school newspaper upon receipt and will not be returned

•
•
•
•
•
•

Purpose of the school newspaper
“Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...”
- The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

“The vigilant protection of constitutional freedoms is nowhere more vital than in the community of American schools.”
- Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
The Francis Howell Spotlight is the official student newspaper at Francis Howell High School. The Spotlight began as a Francis
Howell publication in 1971. The Spotlight believes it is essential to preserve the freedom of the press in order to preserve a free
society and its purpose is to inform, interpret, and entertain through accurate and factual reports. Therefore:
•
This school newspaper will serve the best interest of the students of Francis Howell and keep itself free from any
other obligation
•
The staff of the school newspaper will accept guidance from its adviser, but will make its own editorial decision
•
only the editorial board may veto any material intended for publication, judged to be in violation of the Spotlight
editorial policy
•
this school newspaper will vigorously resist all attempts at censorship, particularly prepublication censorship
•
the school newspaper will serve as an educational laboratory experience for those on staff.
•
The school newspaper will run as a limited open forum
•
The goal of the school newspaper is to cover the total school population as effectively and the staff will strive to be
impartial and responsible in its coverage of issues.

Advertising

All ads must be approved by the editorial board. An ad rate schedule and ad policies are available by calling 636-851-4820.

Francis Howell High School

[7001 Highway 94 South]

St. Charles, MO 63304

Speak

Spotlight
Oct. 29, 2008

editorials

Future of Howell building
depends on a yes vote
Francis Howell is
old. While inside the
dingy, deteriorating walls
one finds excitement and
learning, the facility, as
a whole, can’t compare to its younger sister
schools. The grounds are in desperate need of
rejuvenation, with the passing of Proposition
B being its only foreseeable hope.
Even though most students that attend
Howell can’t vote and won’t even be affected
by the construction or get to enjoy the new
buildings it brings, students care about the
bond. Some have younger brothers or sisters
that are coming to this school and they want
something for them that they never had, a
brand new redesigned school.
The new school would provide more
parking and entrances, which have been severely
needed and may lower the amount of accidents
around the area. The campus will be more
enclosed providing less travel time between
classes while also being a safer environment in
case of emergency. A new cafeteria, gym, and
other sport related areas would be constructed
in order to meet the needs of the student

Staff
Editorial

This

is

body. Francis Howell North and Daniel Boone
Elementary will also be receiving money from
the $78.5 million dollar bond to help redesign
parts of their school. All schools in the district
benefit as more maintenance money is freed up
as it won’t be needed at Howell.
A yes vote will not increase taxes. Bonds
are paid off over many years by the school
district and can be paid with the current tax
assessment. If this bond issue does not pass,
then the school district will have to cut back on
budgets that help the classrooms function on
a day-to-day basis (i.e. instruction and supply
budgets) and suspend other projects to help
pay for the new school.
This bond needs to be passed for future
students of the Francis Howell School District.
In order to keep up to date with the needs
of students, a new building needs to be had.
Students cannot continue to attend a school
that is so old and has some buildings flooding
and falling apart. The Spotlight staff would
like to encourage all voters to vote yes for the
future students in hopes that their buildings
are a better learning environment than we were
endured.

by | andrew cogswell
Hope can be found in the strangest of
places.
Last January was a pretty rough time for
me. I pretty much hated the entire month. I
tend to think of January as the Monday for the
entire year, so when the month started off bad
I knew I was in for a rough ride.
I felt like my old friends were slowly
starting to slip away or I was replacing them
with new ones. I was getting used to being in
a new house. Not only that, but I had been
dumped by my girlfriend of the last year, while
at the same moment losing one of my closest
friends.
During this time I found my two sources
of hope: friends and music. While friends were
part of the problem in the first place, both
new and old ones really helped me turn things
around. I’ve always been the one my friends
come to if they have problems so it was weird
for me to need their help.
They kept me busy and out of my new
house, even if it was as simple as two of them
driving around with me, going down Highway
K and stopping anywhere we thought was
interesting.
I learned to accept help from unexpected
people or even ones I hadn’t talked to in awhile.
January was a time for me to realize how much
I missed some of my friends or needed them.
It seems sad that something had to happen to
me in order for me to be reminded that they
were still there.

Music has always been a strong factor in
my life, ever since I started listening to punk
and alternative in seventh grade. January really
helped me see how big of a deal music was. I’m
not exactly sure when I started listening to two
specific bands, but for the first three months
of the year the only CDs I listened to were Rise
Against’s The Sufferer and the Witness and Jimmy
Eat World’s Futures.
Ever since that time, these two CDs have
been two of my all time favorites. Every time I
listen to any song on those albums I remember
those first few months of adjustment not
with regret or sadness, but with a fresh, new
perspective on what January meant to me.
Everyone finds hope in different things:
faith, friends, family, music, or even something
as simple as a bird chirping.
The world is a big and beautiful place, but
it can also be a very scary place, so find things
that give you hope and hold on to them as tight
as possible.
Thanks to my friends and my music, I
look forward to each new challenge that awaits
me and I look back on past experiences with
new eyes.
Since January I have returned to my former
self and I have rebuilt a friendship that means
the world to me. I know that eventually I would
have reached this point no matter what, but I
can’t help but think that it’s partially because of
my sources of inspiration that I made it back
so quickly.

3

“I’m going to take the
job of dishing out candy
when the doorbell rings.”
–English teacher
Mike Storm

“I’m
going
to
head out around my
neighborhood trick or
treating.”
–senior
Gentry Leonard

“I want to go to a
party with my friends.”
–sophomore
Sophie Lozano

Graffiti needs to stop

Coming to school
Sept. 30 came with a
bigger issue than the test
in first hour everyone
forgot to study for.
Security officers and
principals greeted students, and checked boys’
backpacks before allowing entrance into the
school building. They were obviously looking
for something. There had been yet another
graffiti incident in the boys’ bathroom.
This threat wasn’t the first the school had
seen. In the past four out of five years there
has been at least one boys’ bathroom vandalized
in the school district. Past incidents indeed
caused panic. The graffiti incident two years
ago at Howell caused over half the student
body to avoid coming to school all together.
However, this less than entertaining prank on
Sept. 30 caused more students to roll their eyes
in annoyance than walk the halls in fear.
It is unfortunate that Howell has a graffiti
problem, but it is even more unfortunate that
these schemes cause threatened students to
become stressed, not because they are in danger,
but because they have to pay the consequences

Staff
Editorial

Francis Howell High School [7001 Highway 94 South]

from one student’s actions.
No passes during class, and tense
faculty. The already strict security increases,
and teachers double as bathroom monitors.
Everything results from one student’s poor
choice. Whether the vandalism was done in
hopes of cancelling school, or a desperate
attempt for some laughs and attention, it
was almost entirely unsuccessful. School was
obviously not cancelled, and the stunt was
obviously not funny, making more students
fed up with their peer’s immaturity and the
unnecessary stress it brings to their school day.
The only attention received was negative.
The graffiti incidents need to stop. They
are a hassle. Hopefully realizing that the
majority of the student body is fed up with all
the inconveniences and not eager to see ‘who
could pull it off next’ will help the potential
graffiti artists come to some sense. The past
culprits have been caught and arrested, so
regardless if the culprit’s intentions are just
for harmless attention or not it’s not a game.
It’s not innocent. It’s an issue that can only be
prevented by the students themselves.

St. Charles, MO 63304

4

Discuss

Spotlight
Oct. 29, 2008

news

‘She’s a miracle’

Gregory well enough to go home The World
at

by|dara vint
The bus let out a loud hiss of air and
the 100 people hiding behind it fell silent. As the motor coach
pulled away, revealing the hidden surprise guests, alumna Jake
Gregory’s face ignited with joy. She pushed her mom’s bracing
hands away and slowly tottered towards the screaming crowd,
unassisted. For the crowd, it was the first time they had ever
witnessed a miracle.
Just over two months after her near fatal accident at
Klondike Park, Jake is going home.
Nearly 100 friends, family, teachers, nurses, even
firefighters that were on site the day of accident gathered to
show their support outside St. Johns Mercy Rehabilitation
Center as Jake was released Thursday, Oct. 16.
“Knowing Jake walked out of the hospital makes me feel
elated,” English teacher Loretta Wylie said. “I’ve known Jake
since eight grade and I’ve always known in my heart that she
is a fighter and she would overcome the odds.”
As special tribute to Gregory’s favorite television show,
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the attendees hid behind
the charter bus, waiting for Jake to call out the magic words:
“Move that bus!”
“The ‘move that bus’ reveal was great way to show
support and love for Jake. It allowed her friends and family
to share in this significant moment after spending so many
days praying for and worrying about her,” Wylie said.
After the reveal, news reporters asked Jake
if she had anything to say to all her supporters.
“For the first time in my life I’m rendered speechless,”
Gregory said.
Though her speech is broken and her movements
unpolished, her love for others and caring heart remain fully intact.
“She texts people all the time [including while at the rehab
facility] asking how she can be praying for them and sending
“have a wonderful day” messages,” junior Chelsea Speckert

said.
Speckert was with Jake the day of the accident and remains
one of her closest friends. “At one point her facebook status
was ‘Jake is the only happy rehab patient’,” Speckert said.
Gregory will remain in physical therapy ten hours a week
but her fast pace recovery so far has left friends and doctors
alike speechless.
“It’s amazing, thinking back on how 67 days ago the
doctors were saying she wouldn’t make it through the night,
and then she walked out completely unassisted,” Speckert
said. “She’s a miracle.”

Computer usage more than a game
District cracks down on unauthorized downloads on school computers
by| katie greathouse
Firefox. iTunes. Ms. Pacman. Unreal
Tournament.
These are some of the many
programs students have downloaded
onto school computers.
What few students grasp, however,
is that the district server can track any
action made on a computer. A list
of students who have downloaded
unacceptable applications were recently
sent to assistant principal Randy Carter.
“The list has the student number
and the name of the file. The list has
been compiling for a while. I’ve (spoken
with) students that currently aren’t in
computer classes, but had downloads
from last year,” Carter said.
Downloads are checked.
“Some classes use large amounts
of storage space, but the folders can get
too high in size which results in slowing
down the network.,” Carter said.
Individuals from the Central Office
watch the size of the folders and if they’re
too large, they look at the contents. If
the contents are inappropriate, they call

Large

and inform the school,” Carter said.
Most students don’t realize they can
be caught. Inappropriate applications
include games, file sharing, and proxies.
All of these applications can be tracked.
“I thought that the odds of getting
caught were one in a thousand,” junior
Long Le said.
Downloading can have damaging
effects.
“Once students get around the
firewall, they have the ability to go
anywhere. Downloads can do harm to
the network and destroy files or folders,”
Carter said.
Students usually receive a warning
for a first offense. Certain cases,
however, may result in more drastic
consequences.
“Stealing confidential information
or continuing to use programs after
being warned could lead to suspension,”
Carter said.
A majority received a warning.
“I downloaded a game and I just
got a warning when I went down there.
Next is suspension. I don’t think it’s
suspension worthy,” junior Ryan Anani

Francis Howell High School

said.
The list contained many students.
“Students have been told to take
programs off and not put them back
on. Some of the students weren’t
called down because of the volume of
students on the list, but teachers also
had conferences,” Carter said.
Some feel downloading is minimal.
“I don’t really consider downloading
a big deal, but I guess it depends on
what you’re downloading. Music would
be, because it’s copyrighted,” Le said
When students fail to log out of
accounts or share their passwords with
others they’re putting themselves at
risk. Downloads are traced back to the
account holder, not the downloader.
“They called me down because I
had this proxy program installed. I didn’t
do it, but I’m not gonna lie, I leave my
computer logged in a lot,” junior Jerel
Brittenham said.
Protection is main priority.
“The purpose is for the safety of
all kids,” Carter said. “We’re making sure
they aren’t exposed to things that they
shouldn’t be.”

[7001 Highway 94 South]

When I was three years old, I received a doll from
my dad. He had been gone for what seemed to be
eternity, and the reunion gift was the most beautiful doll
I’ve ever seen. Her dress is floral and colorful, and she
has a red head scarf tied with a white, lacy ribbon. She
has a soft cloth body and a ceramic face painted deep
brown with red lips. As my dad gave the doll to me, he
told me that she and many other dolls were hand made
by women living in the village where he had been.
I only knew that the place he went to was called
Haiti and it was far away from our home on an Army
post in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It wasn’t until I was
older that I realized why my dad had gone to Haiti. He
was one of the troops deployed as part of Operation
Uphold Democracy, a peace-keeping effort led by the
United States military and the United Nations. In the
early nineties, Haiti’s government was taken over by a
repressive military regime. In an effort to reinstate the
democratically elected president, the US and UN staged
a peaceful intervention.
As I’ve come into my own, I realize the importance
of what my dad did. He helped people in far worse
situations not just because it was his duty as a soldier,
but also because it was his duty as a person. This sense
of social responsibility has been a guiding factor in my
life and is the reason I stress the importance of getting
involved and being aware.
There are so many ways to make the world a better
place: getting involved in political campaigns, donating
to charity, volunteering time. Small efforts go a long way
when it comes to improving the lives of others.
Every morning as I look at my doll, I think of the
woman who put time and energy into making her. I
think of my dad, doing what he could to make life easier
and more peaceful for a repressed people. And I think
of the importance of listening to my social conscience
and doing what I know is right.

Don’t forget
to VOTE!
Election is Nov. 4
(No School)

St. Charles, MO 63304

Quick Hits

Spotlight
Nov. 19, 2008

news

5

DECA supports charity

Bond measure passes

DECA presented their annual school-wide fall charity
drive, ‘Hang Your Hat on Hope’, Oct. 20-23. Proceeds
benefited both the National Children’s Cancer Society as
well as World Vision, a global Christian relief organization
in honor of alumna Jake Gregory. Hat day tickets, allowing
students to wear their craziest hats, sold for $2. Hat grams
sold for $1 and hung on the upper C lobby walls. Gently
used hats collected throughout the week were donated to
the Children’s Cancer Society.
“It was actually Jake’s mom’s idea to call it ‘Hang Your
Hat on Hope’,” DECA president Melissa Hirner said. “It
was a really creative idea because we could help young
cancer patients other than just giving them a donation, we
could give them hats to wear.”
With the help of the staff and students DECA raised
nearly $800.
“I know we could always raise more money as a school,
but for now I’m just glad our first fundraiser was a success,”
Hirner said. “We helped kids and honored Jake, it was an
awesome week.”

Proposition B, the School district’s no-tax-rate-increase
bond issue, passed Nov. 4 with 65.25 percent yes votes. The
funds will be used to construct a new academic wing and
other areas at Howell. Funds will also be used at Francis
Howell North and Daniel Boone Elementary.
“The District is extremely grateful for the continued
support shown by our community,” Superintendent Dr.
Renee Schuster said.

Sam Galloway

Band season successful

Day after election
passes without incident

Marching band seniors play during the Sept. 26 homecoming football game.

Red Ribbon Week urges
people to be drug-free

The choir hosts a madrigal dinner at the Christy Banquet
Center Dec. 4 at 6 PM. There will be food, music, and other
forms of entertainment.
“We’re performing, singing, and dancing to songs from
the Renaissance time period in a festive holiday setting,”
senior Jon Christopher said. “There will also be a comic skit
acted out by the members of Chamber Choir.”
Guests are invited to attend a concert at Dardenne
Presbyterian Church, 7 PM Nov. 21. On Nov. 24 the choir will
be attending the Wentzville Festival at Wentzville Holt High.

With the presidential election finally over, one would
think that students would be sick of talking politics. Not
senior Hanna Xu. She is one of many students who participate
in Youth in Government (YIG), an organization built as a
simulation for state government. YIG students perform all the
regular responsibilities that Missouri’s state government does.
Xu is the YIG governor who ran the statewide event.
The convention occurred November 14-16 in Jefferson
City in the Capital and Supreme Court building.

Quill and Scroll adopts platoon
Quill and Scroll, the journalism honor society, has adopted
the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division’s Pathfinder Company.
There are 63 men in the company including 2007 alumnus
Pvt. Peter Waggoner. The company will be deployed to Iraq
for a year. They are in charge of reconnaissance; performing
downed aircraft recovery as well as landing zone and drop
zone security.

The school locked down Wednesday Nov. 5 because of
a graffiti threat discovered in the girl’s bathroom in the B
building, Nov. 4. Increased security and bag checks were safety
precautions in addition to no passes and closed commons area
during lunch. The day passed without an incident.

The marching band finished first in division finals. They
won the “Outstanding Visual” award Oct. 25 at the Greater
St. Louis Competition.
Tryouts occurred Nov. 3 for the district honors band.
Charles Miller (split lead) and Caroline Koncz (clarinet) made
the squad. Three more, Jessica Tibbetts (flute), Matt Gragg
(bass clarinet), and Caullen Cauldwell (alto saxophone) made
it as alternatives. All five are eligible to try out for the All State
Band, in Columbia, Dec. 6. The actual All State Competition
occurs Jan. 22-24 at Tan-Tar-a.

Dara Vint

Jenn Alloway

Because of graffiti, girls had bags and purses checked outside of the A
building entrance, Nov. 5. Principal Chris Greiner and a helper stop senior
Jordan Capobianco as part of enhanced security. It was the second threat
found this year.

Business teacher Larry Anders participates in Red Ribbon Week by wearing
the ribbon handed out during first hour classes, Oct. 27.

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
celebrated Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 27-31. SADD distributed
red ribbons and helped students make a commitment to
staying drug and alcohol-free for that week.
“We want people to realize that drug and alcohol use is
dangerous, and red ribbon week really gets the message across.
A lot of students here drink and do drugs, and it’s a problem
that has to be dealt with,” club member Amanda Milster said.

“It’s very, very competitive,” activities director Dave
Witter said.
So competitive, in fact, that thousands of applicants are
nominated each year throughout the state for the Wendy’s
Heisman award.
This prestigious award recognizes scholar athletes. It
showcases students entering their senior year who have proven
hard work, dedication, and community involvement. Senior
Eric Kallbrier received one of the two Heisman awards given
at Howell.
“My dad nominated me and I didn’t even know it,”
Kallbrier said.
The judging is based on academic achievement and
athletic accomplishment. After receiving school nomination,
the winner has the opportunity to move on to competitions
starting at regionals, to state levels, and moving up to
nationals.
Prizes range from medals and gift certificates to
scholarships. Finalists have the opportunity to win up to
$2,000.
In 2006, graduate Sarah Strumph made it the top 10
finalists in the state.
The requirements for school nomination are a 3.0 GPA
and involvement in at least one after-school extra-curricular
sport.
“I ran cross country, track, and have a 4.2 GPA,”
Kallbrier said. “This award is pretty cool to have on a college
transcript.”

St. Charles, MO 63304

6

Spotlight
Oct. 29, 2008

talking to frie

loud music

Chat

inattention

features

nds
speeding
Cars allow teens freedom, but the road isn’t smooth

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p
m
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n
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nni

gas prices

got insu

rance?

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licensed drivers.”

Most accidents are preventable

Inattention number one cause of wrecks
by| erin key
“The number one cause of traffic crashes–inattention,”
Sgt Al Notham said.
Notham presented two safe driving workshops-–one
each to juniors and seniors. Notham, who has been working
for the Missouri State Highway Patrol for 12 years, works
over 90 percent of fatality crashes in the state.
Forms of inattention range from cell phones and
iPods, to putting on make-up. Because of this, over 1,000
people die each year as a result of traffic crashes.
“The number two cause is speeding and number three
is alcohol related crashes,” Notham said.
Despite speeding and alcohol-related crashes ranking
behind inattention, texting has become very popular among
teens and accounts for many accidents.
According to an AAA insurance report, 46 percent of
teens admit to texting behind the wheel.
“I know I shouldn’t do it, but I do it anyway because
I’m good at it,” senior Hannah Black said.
As a result, many authorities are starting to take notice.
California has already passed a ban on handheld call phones
and Florida has proposed a law to prohibit texting behind
the wheel, which many states are following.
The law proposed would punish those who are caught
to pay a fine on top of court costs. In August, a ban on cell

“Texting while driving is pretty
difficult, but I feel like I have to do it
when I receive one while driving.”
–senior Kaity Campbell
phones was proposed in Town and Country. Although it
didn’t pass, Missouri is considering a proposal in 2009.
“Texting while driving is pretty difficult, but I feel like
I have to do it when I receive one while driving,” senior
Kaity Campbell said.
While most students feel that texting is a better way
of communication, it has been compared to a form of
impaired driving because even though the driver may be
behind the wheel, their mind can be focused elsewhere.
According to a study conducted by the UK Transport
Laboratory, the study found that reaction time deteriorated
35 percent and steering control was 91 percent worse.
In Notham’s opinion, the worst generation of drivers
are ages 15-21.
“They are over represented in traffic crashes,” Notham
said.

Junior Paige Giancola texts a friend on her drive home from school Friday,
Oct. 17.

Francis Howell High School

[7001 Highway 94 South]

St. Charles, MO 63304

Chat

Spotlight
Oct. 29, 2008

features

7

Road rules:

Can you pass this driving test?
2) Can you get a full drivers license
at age 16?
a) Yes
b) No
3) How long is a full driver’s license
valid?
a) 2 yrs.
b) 4 yrs.
c) 6 yrs.
d) Life
4) A broken line may be crossed in
a passing maneuver, even yellow
lines.
a) True
b) False
5) What does a pentagon shaped
sign mean?
a) Stop

b) School
c) Park
d) Warning

6) When do pedestrians have the
right of way?
a) At all times
b) Only when there are not any road
signals
c) Never, vehicles always have the right
of way
d) None of the above
7) Which way should you turn your
wheels when parking uphill?
a) Left
b) Straight
c) Right
d) Never park uphill

c) Never leave the motor
running in the garage
d) It’s okay to leave the motor
running in the garage for five
minutes

8) What should a driver do to avoid
carbon monoxide poisoning?
a) Leave the motor running in
the garage
b) Leave the motor running
and the windows closed while
parked

Accidents happen ...

Answers: 1) a 2) b 3) c 4) a 5) b 6) a 7) c 8) c 9) d 10) b

1) If you are a new Missouri
resident is it necessary to get a
MO drivers license?
a) Yes
b) No

Insurance statistics show teens have driving issues
��� 56% said they use cell phones while
driving.
• 69% said they speed to keep up with
traffic.
• 64% said they speed to go through a
yellow light.
• 47% said their passengers distract them.
• 50% said they believe most crashes
involve teens drinking and driving.
• 31% of teens are killed from drunk
driving.

Although teens can be awarded lower rates for a clean
gnorance.
record, a sloppy one will result in a dramatic increase in
When it comes to teens
“Circumstances (for rate increase) depend on prices. Being ticketed for speeding or traffic violations
and automobile insurance, this is a recurring theme.
“I’m clueless,” junior Jake Webb said. “My parents the standing with the company. Five percent and being in a car collision are the fastest ways to higher
prices.
handle it for me.”
“Circumstances (for rate increase) depend on the
Insurance
companies
bombard
consumers to 10 percent increases for one accident or as
standing with the company. Five percent to 10 percent
with ads. Progressive has Flo; Geico has the gecko;
Nationwide has NASCAR’s Kevin Harvick and much as a 50 percent increase depending on increases for one accident or as much as a 50 percent
increase depending on the amounts of an accident,” State
Safe Auto has a catchy jingle.
the amounts of an accident.”
Farm agent Kelly Del Castillo said. “The higher risk a driver
The state of Missouri requires auto insurance and
–State Farm agent Kelly Del Castillo is, the higher the premium [price] of their coverage.”
driving without breaks the law.
The minimal level of coverage required by the state
If more teen drivers were more aware of their
for bodily injuries is $25,000 for the injury of one person
insurance company’s policies, then more of their money
and $50,000 for injuries to more than one person. The
could be saved.
According to American Family Insurance agent Dawn Eckman, students can obtain lower minimal coverage for property damage is $10,000 for any single accident (www.thegeneral.
rates by having multiple vehicles in the family, keeping good driving records, and earning over com).
a 3.0 GPA in their school.
However, if these amounts do not cover the accident, the driver at fault is responsible for
Typical insurance generally includes coverage of any potential injuries sustained to the the balance. Considering that many new cars have sticker prices over $30,000, a $25,000 policy
body (called liability), and any property damage to the driver’s own car (comprehensive and may not be enough.
collision).
Missouri also requires a driver to have proof of insurance in the car at all times.
“Students need to be informed because in case of an accident they will need to know
“I would like to be more informed, and others should be too. They will have to deal with it
a basic idea of what to do, how to handle the situation, and an idea of what their company eventually, so they may as well start early and be more intelligent on the subject,” Webb said.
covers,” junior Nicole Survant said.

by| kevin lanzone

Film club: Take 2

Potential club looks for members to study great movies

Kuhl drives in from Troy
He
probably
has one of the
longest drives to school. For senior Brad Kuhl,
even those in Foristell live closer. Kuhl lives
in Troy, a minimal drive of over 30 miles.
“My uncle lives out here and we were
visiting him and his neighbors told us they
were moving. Jokingly, my mom said we
should move out here too, but when we were
looking at houses, she fell in love with one in
particular and we moved in May of last year,”
Kuhl said.
Living in Troy also cuts out a lot of
preparation time before school for Kuhl.
“I usually leave my house at about 6:30
and it takes me about 45 minutes to get here.
So, I usually get to school at about 7:15 to
7:20,” he said.
Kuhl’s parents seem to be okay with him
doing this consistently.
“Since I had no choice in moving, they
by | dan dowell

are fine with me driving that far for school,
friends, and everything else,” he said.
However, this does take a toll on his
wallet. Kuhl says with going back and forth
to school, he has to fill his tank up twice a
week, spending about $50 per fill up. Yet he
is not the only one that has to go through this
process.
“My mom actually works at North, so she
has to go further than I do on a daily basis,”
Kuhl said.
The most important loss for him,
however, is the loss of his social life.
“It stinks trying to hang out with my
friends. I have to plan better now because if
my plans fall through, its a big waste of my
time and gas,” he said.
So Kuhl continues to live the average
student life, he just has to drive a little bit
further than everyone else.

Francis Howell High School

institutions for exceptional work in film,”
Thompson said.
Thompson’s hope is that the students
could eventually make their own films but he
is a bit skeptical of that.
“If time and budget permit, I would
also like to let students explore their inner
‘movie mogul’. They could form ‘studios’
and assign jobs in order to create their own
movie masterpiece. Although I doubt it would
be possible, I would want students to have full
freedom of creativity in their films,” he said.
He is in the early stages of getting the
club started.
“I have briefly talked to the previous
proprietor of Film Club, Mr. Wayne, about

the idea of bringing it back. I also asked a few
people if they would want to join,” he said.
He is looking for people who are just as
passionate about films to spend some time
after school, to help set up a great club.
“I need people who are willing to make
this sacrifice to create a club they can enjoy
and remember past their high school years. If
your one of these people, please help start up
this club and mold it into a great after-school
activity,” he said.
If you are interested you can get in
contact with Thompson by leaving a message
in B 203.

It’ll soon be time to think
about your schedule.
Don’t forget a FHHS Publications Class!
Journalism
Earn a
Communication
Arts, Practical Arts,
or Electivecredit.
Journalism
Learn to write like the Photo
Earn a Practical Arts
pros, and you might have
or Elective credit. Learn to
your work published in
use Photoshop to make your
Spotlight or Howelltonian. pictures stand out! Watch for some
s

To many, student movies are a way to kill
time on a boring Friday night, but to junior
Sean Thompson movies are a way to life.
“I have a great personal interests in films
and believe that people appreciate the wrong
ones,” he said.
This is why Thompson feels the need to
start a film club.
“It is so important to show kids how
powerful films can really be,” he said. “They
all want everything in a movie to be spoonfed to them, without thinking about it for
themselves. A story is too important for a
movie to be simplistic or underdeveloped.”

The purpose of the club would consist
of more than just movie watching; members
would also to make an in-depth evaluation of
the films.
“Students in film club will critically
analyze films. Theme, symbolism, direction,
consistency, story, character depth, and actor/
actress performance are a few things I would
like members to do,” he said.
He also feels there is an importance
to knowing the history of film and not just
recent classics.
“Cinema history should also be explored,
such as major advancements in the industry,
technological changes, genre prevalence
in various decades, and the various award

Jessica Deter

by| austin thomas

of their work coming in the November issue of
Spotlight.

These classes meet the prerequisites for Yearbook and
Newspaper staff membership.

[7001 Highway 94 South]

St. Charles, MO 63304

Chat

5

Spotlight
Oct. 29, 2008

features

9

1.Before coming to Howell, he worked at

Warrenton Middle School, St. Charles West,
and Saeger.

2. Something interesting about him is

that he’s a die-hard
Broncos fan and he used to be a Civil
War reennactor.

things

you didn’t

3.

His favorite type of music is classical, blues and
Southern rock, and he likes The Allman
Brothers Band,
Tom Petty and U2.

know about...

4. He has one daughter, Sophie, who is in
kindergarten, and he has a cat and a dog.

dean Chris Birch

5. He’s always lived in St. Charles and he

grew up here.

by | Maggie Herring

“Thanks to SCC, I am prepared
for college, and have taken a
leap forward in my four-year plan.”
~ Brianna Bernardy
SCC Dual Enrollment Participant
Francis Howell Central Alum, 2008
Freshman at Truman State University

Ask your counselor how to get started at St. Charles Community College.
636-922-8000 www.stchas.edu
Francis Howell High School [7001 Highway 94 South]

St. Charles, MO 63304

10

Shout

Spotlight
Dec. 10, 2008

sports

Cheerleaders place at state

Dear
Sports
Fans

by|dan dowell

by|joe pannullo

but we started
making
it
better come
late October.
We practiced
for
about
three weeks,
five
times
a week for
two hours.
Most of the
practices
were from 7-9
PM, which
was difficult Nov. 15-16, the varsity squad placed in the top five for the first time in six years.
for work and school and a lot of us came in
“We did have a few mistakes in our
exhausted,” Lozano said.
routine, but we were excited when the judges
Nerves were high come competition announced we got fifth place. It’s the best
time.
Howell has done in six years,” Campbell said.
“The week of the competition, we
For the seniors, it has been four
weren’t really hitting our stunts and we great years.
were getting kind of worried,” senior Jenna
“All the seniors have been amazing. Most
Campbell said.
of us have been together since freshman year.
This started to show the day of the The team would have not been the same
competition.
without them, and everyone put in maximum
“After we were done performing, we really effort all the way around, but we cannot
didn’t know how well we did. We dropped forget about the juniors. They have worked
two stunts, so we expected the worst,” junior just as hard as we have. It is nice to know that
Erin Angeli said.
our squad will be great even after the seniors
Yet for all their worries, the squad leave,” Lozano said.
benefited from the faults of the other
schools.

Drumline marches in Thanksgiving Day parade
by|jessica howard
“Drumline has literally changed my life,”
sophomore Brenden Perkins said.
Perkins has been a member of FH
Drumline since freshman year and prior to
joining has played the snare drum for three
and a half years. Drumline is a program that
begins in November and lasts through the
winter.
“I heard about Drumline through a few
of my friends. Some had been in line before I
was even in high school, and some had friends
or family that were a part of drumline. They
told me how much fun it was and how often
we get to go out of town for competition,”
Perkins said.
Just this last week, Drumline left for
Chicago to partake in the annual McDonalds
Thanksgiving Day Parade. Last year, Perkins
said the most memorable even was the
compettion in Dayton, Ohio where the team

placed in the semi-finals.
“We practiced for nearly two hours
almost every school day in preparation for
Dayton. We made it into the semi-finals in
the Scholastic A division, which pretty much
means we placed in the top 20 around the
world in our divison,” said Perkins.
Not all the trips were successful as
Ohio though. Last year the team also went
to Indianapolis where they were not as well
received.
“We had two fifteen passenger vans for
this trip, meaning we were right next to each
other for 6 hours straight. We actually left
for Indianapolis right after school, so by the
time we got to our hotel it was pretty late. At
the competition we blew up. The electronic
instruments kept turning off on us, which
threw everyone on and off,” Perkins said.
Another part of Drumline that Perkins

wasn’t fond of was the lack of a social life.
Perkins frequently found himself
canceling on his friends and his family
events.
“Last year I was going to skip practice
for my birthday dinner, but I was told if I
went through with it, I would not be able to
participate in the next competition. The time
you spend at practice is well worth it when
you are at a competition and get a huge crowd
response after you perform,” Perkins said.
“You don’t really have you sign up
for Drumline, as long as you come to the
meetings and practices that are held of
certain days after school in November. You
can try out for spots on various instruments
including the snare drums, the bass drum,
cymbals and electric and acoustic keyboards,”
Perkins said.

UPCOMING EVENTS

With the struggling economy I began
to look at all the things this country is
spending money on. You have the war, gas,
and all that good stuff. But none bothered
me more than that the ridiculous amount
of money we are paying athletes.
There are men and women more
disserving of that money than people
like Phil Mickelson who makes an annual
earning of $9,371,685. That’s a lot of
money for someone who isn’t Tiger
Woods. You can’t tell me that there isn’t a
more disserve person or cause that would
benefit from that money, more than a left
handed golfer that only wins every once
and a while.
Basketball players rule the list of
Sports Illustrated “Fortunate 50” with more
than half the list consisting of guys who
put a ball in a hoop. The highest paid,
LeBron James making $40,455,000 in the
last five years, with about $12,455,000 per
year and $28,000,000 in endorsements.
When an athlete starts making more for
his commercials and shoes than what he’s
famous for, it’s getting a bit absurd.
The one that gets me the most when
I see him on the list is Michael Finley.
Apparently, he’s an NBA player for the San
Antonio Spurs. I have never heard of the
guy but yet he makes more than the record
setting NASCAR driver, Jimmie Johnson.
Although this will probably change since
JJ won his third straight Sprint Cup
Championship, tying the record for most
consecutive championships. But he still
makes less than Dale Earnhardt Jr. who
hasn’t won a championship.
I am a sports fan but I don’t see why
they disserve all that money, no matter
who you are. There travel is a bit extensive
but not to the point where we have to give
them millions.
The one that cracks me up the most is
the Manny Ramirez. The Boston Red Sox
complained about him the whole time he
was there, tried to get him suspended; yet
they pay him a $20,000,000 salary.

Going into it, the varsity cheerleaders
knew the state competition at the Hearnes
Center in Columbia Nov. 15-16 was going to
be tough. The squad had not placed in the
top five in the state in six years. However, one
goal remains the same every year.
“We really want to beat Central, but we
were not upset when they beat us because
we knew they worked just as hard as we did,”
senior Tasha Greifoner said.
Howell Central finished second, ahead of
them for the second straight time. Although
they fell, there was something more important
for the squad.
“There are only five teams that are able to
place in cheerleading. We wanted to finished
in one of those spots,” senior Ali Lozano
said.
Hard work made this happen.
“There is a lot of time put into the
competition because you not only have to
practice, but someone has to make the routine
up deciding where everyone will stand and
what will make it easier for people to go to
each stunt, make the cheer and music to a
certain length, and work until everything is
perfect,” Greifoner said.
Squad members had to balance their
outside schedules with practices for state,
which caused some problems during the fall.
“We started practicing for our routine in
July for the regional competition in August,

Rent
offers
serious
music
Movie version of Broadway classic worth watching
by |madelyn brandt
Very few movies
make you want to dance
on top of tables, tango
down the hall, or sing
at the top or your lungs
but the movie version
of Rent does it all, and makes you cry your
eyes out.
The storyline is quite simple: seven
friends living in New York’s East Village
try to overcome hardships like the A.I.D.S
epidemic and poverty by relying on each
other. Intertwined are all types of passionate
love stories that appeal to the romantic in all
of us.
Based on the award winning musical,
Rent lives up to its Broadway counterpart.
The movie takes elements from the play
and magnifies them while still keeping the
theatrical element.
Dramatic lighting sets the mood of the
movie while the grungy set is both realistic
and visually pleasing. The effect is a feeling
of watching a play that has the whole world
as its stage.
Deep characterization by the actors
makes Rent believable and enjoyable. All but
two actors from the original Broadway cast
reprised their roles in the film.
Chemistry between Adam Pascal (Roger)
and Rosario Dawson (Mimi) was a bit lacking
and stiff but other relationships are believable,
especially Maureen’s (Idina Menzel) and
Joanne’s (Tracie Thomas).
Wilson Heredia who plays a cross
dressing street musician named Angel, adds
a comedic element at times but also gives a
realistic portrayal of the hardships a street

Movie
Review

musician and transvestite
might face.
Essential to a musical
is
good
singing
and
choreographing and Rent
delivers both. It’s the catchy
songs that make you want to
watch it again and again.
Fresh voices blended with
seasoned Broadway veterans
give the movie version of Rent
its own unique style.
It segways cleanly from
dialogue into musical numbers
and does not make the viewer
feel like they have missed
something. There are a lot of
musicals out there and none
have come close to the quality
of singing demonstrated in
Rent.
One aspect of the film
that was disappointing was
the predictable conclusion. As
Mimi lay dying, Roger sings a
sappy song to her that he has
been struggling to write for a
year.
Her hand miraculously
twitches; she slowly sits up
and is perfectly fine. What are
the odds that she would wake up from a drug
overdose with no medical attention, just to
Roger’s voice? The film tries to have a fairytale
ending tacked on to a realistic beginning. The
two do not mix, leaving viewers unsatisfied.
Dramatic effects, believable acting,
stirring musical numbers and a somewhat
lacking ending make the movie version,

Musical Musings

11

Limelight
Theater to
perform
Tennesse
Williams play
by| austin thomas

although certainly not perfect, a thoroughly
enjoyable movie. It is rated PG-13 for mature
material including sexuality, drug use, and
strong language.
Whether it’s singing or crying, Rent is
sure to invoke strong emotions in mature
audiences everywhere.

[Under the Radar]

This fall, Limelight Theater will
showcase the play Orpheus Descending by
Tennessee Williams.
The story is a modern retelling of
the Greek myth about Orpheus, and
the play takes place in a small town in
the 1950’s.
The main character is Val (senior
Jon Christopher), a young guitar player,
who finds a job at a dry good store run
by a middle-aged woman named Lady
(junior Laura Coghlan), whose husband
is dying.
Lady soon finds herself attracted
to Val and sees him as a way to escape
her routine life. The play is filled with
love and passion but is also marked
with tragedy.
Christopher believes that the story
will relate well with the audience.
“It’s a beautiful tragedy that deals
with many of the issues today like
corruption and love,” he said. “It is
really intense and represents real life.”
Coghlan thinks that the even
though it is a love story, the characters
do not concentrate on love.
“The characters focus more on
their past experiences than love,” she
said.
The play will run from Friday, Nov.
6 to Sunday, Nov. 8, in the auditorium.
Tickets will cost $5 and go on sale
during lunch the week of the play.

by| austin thomas

Today’s
musical market
is vaster than
ever before, but
there are only a
handful of artists
who dominate the
airwaves. This is a shame, because
a number of quality bands are not
receiving enough attention.
MGMT, a young band
from New York, has caught
attention for their unique and
fresh sound. The band consists
of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew
VanWyngarden, who met while
attending Wesleyan University
in Middleton, CT. The two first
came together not to make music
but just to hang out and show
each other what music they liked.
Their debut Oracular Spectacular is
reminiscent of psychedelic pop

groups of the 60’s, with hints of making remixes, singles and EPs.
futurist electronic sounds. The In March, the two released their
song “Time to Pretend” serves self-titled debut album featuring
over the top
as the breaksynthesizers,
through hit
Songs to download:
distorted vocals,
and has been
pounding
featured
in Of Montreal- “Id Engager” and
and “Jennifer Louise”
drumbeats. An
the
movie
21 and on MGMT- “Time to Pretend” interesting tool
they utilize is an
TV’s Gossip
and “Electric Feel”
Girl. MGMT Crystal Castles- “Crimewave” 8-bit sound chip,
which generated
can be found
and “Courtship Dating”
all the sounds on
touring with
old video game
Beck
right
systems
like
now and are
Atari and the first Nintendo. The
about to start their own tour.
Another
young
band song “Alice Practice” is a great
receiving positive attention is example of the chip in use. Right
Crystal Castles. They are an now, Crystal Castles is touring
electronic duo that is made up Europe and in Nov. will return to
of vocalist Alice Glass and multi- the States.
Unlike MGMT and Crystal
instr umentalist/programmer
Ethan Kath, who started off by Castles, Of Montreal is a band

with some years under their belt.
Contrary to their name, the band
originates from Athens, Georgia.
Their first album, Cherry Peel, was
released in July 1997 on Bar/
None Records.
Since then the band has
released seven studio albums.
Their general style is Indie-Pop,
but occasionally songs venture
into other genres.
On the new album, Skeletal
Lamping, the crew to explores funk
and surf rock. The first single is
“Id Engager,” a psychedelic tune
with a groovy bass line, catchy
high pitch vocals and a drum part
that is impossible not to dance to.
The album was released Oct. 24
and they just played the Pageant
Friday.

Francis Howell High School [7001 Highway 94 South]

It’s never too soon
to be thinking
yearbook.
Make sure you’ve
ordered yours.
Last year over
50 people
went without.

Call Jostens at
1-866-282-1516
to order.

St. Charles, MO 63304

12

Final Thoughts

Spotlight
Oct. 29, 2008

back page

[2] At the Sept. 26 homecoming football game, fans
show school spirit while cheering on the team to their
first victory of the season. The Vikings triumphed
against the Bulldogs 48-14.

[1] The band plays the National Anthem to start the
football game, Sept. 26. During halftime, the band and
color guard entertained the crowd.

[1]

[2]

Jenn Alloway

you

Michael Gulledge

[4]

[3]

[3] Sophomores Madeline Burnett and Katie Wu enjoy free cotton candy during
the homecoming festival. Friday, Sept. 26, staff and students left classes at
11:30 to go out to the football field for the second annual celebration. This
year any grade girl was allowed to participate in the powder puff game as
the freshmen played the sophomores at the same time as the junior/senior
game. [4] Homecoming queen and king Jenna Campbell and Ryan Sparkman
are recognized during halftime. They ran against three other couples for the
titles. Voting occurred during lunch.

Molli Hutchenson

Michael Gulledge

Michael Gulledge

Missed it

Michael Gulledge

In Case

[5]

[6]

[5] For fun, FCCLA hosted a game night, Sept. 18.
Members ate and played games such as Apples to
Apples as they got to know each other better. [6]
Trying to gain yardage, wide receiver Brian Cobbs
attempts to escape his Parkway West defenders.
The Vikings fell to the Longhorns, 14-51. As of Oct.
20, Cobbs had rushed 750 total yards and was
third overall in the GAC South.